EGYPT

Ancient Egypt's History

New Kingdom - Painting

While relief carving was used
during the New Kingdom principally for the decoration of religious structures,
the art of painting came to dominate the decoration of private tombs.
The necropolis at Thebes is a rich source of information on the slowly
changing artistic tradition as well as of vivid illustrations of life
at the time.

The medium of painting made possible
a wider range of expression than sculpture, allowing the artist to create
colorful tableaus of life on the Nile. Officials are shown inspecting
the exotic tribute brought to Egypt from all parts of the known world.
The crafts of the royal workshops are depicted in meticulous detail, illustrating
the production of all manner of objects, from massive sculptures to delicate
jewelry. Funerary rites are illustrated from the procession to the tomb
to the final prayers for the spirit. One of the standard elements in Theban
tomb painting, known as early as the Old Kingdom, is a representation of
the deceased hunting and fishing in the papyrus marshes, pastimes he would
have wanted to enjoy throughout eternity.